FDNY heroes dress up in superhero costumes for sick and grieving children across New York City: “Seeing the Smiles of Children”

These caped crusaders are on a special mission.

A wonderful team of famous movie characters dubbed Humble Heroes of the FDNY We’re celebrating 10 years of bringing superhero costumes to the kids of the Big Apple who need them most.

A group of heroic New York City firefighters, NYPD officers and public school teachers made the rounds to dozens of schools, hospitals and grief camps.

“Just like the (fire) department, it’s always about giving back and stepping up to help others,” firefighter Rob Vogt said during a Humble Heroes visit Friday to PS 357R Robert Randall, a special needs school on Staten Island.

“We visited the hospital last month,” Vogt recounted, dressed as Superman.

“There were children in isolation, and we couldn’t necessarily see them, but just seeing us in the window changed their whole day: the nurses told us everything, how grateful they were.”

First responders on Friday were met with cheers from kindergarteners through second graders, who cheered at the sight of their favorite characters on the big screen walking through the halls.

“My favorite part is seeing the kids’ smiles,” said city public school teacher Jillian Valverde, who dressed as Batgirl. “Oh my God – some of them light up. They run to you. They are so full of love.”

“That’s definitely the most rewarding part of it.”

Along with the caped crusaders, firefighters Rich Sindaley, Andrew Costello, and Gary Chan appear as Green Lantern, Thor, and Spider-Man, respectively, while NYPD Detective Matt Schmalkes stars as Deadpool.

Longtime FDNY firefighter Timmy Lees, who serves as a driver for Humble Heroes, described the costume initiative as an “easy transition” for everyday heroes.

“Firefighting is a noble profession, obviously a noble cause,” said the Staten Island resident Smoke Eater, who is assigned to the Family Assistance Unit of Engine 155. “This is easy for firefighters.

“They love doing these things.”

The effort began in 2015 when firefighter Robert Banomi and his friends dressed up as Power Rangers for a Halloween party, where they talked to a woman whose son had cancer, Humble Heroes scheduling director Alyssa LaRocca, Banomi’s sister-in-law, told The Post.

Soon after, Banomi was burned while working, and while recovering in the hospital, he asked the nurses if the children at the hospital would be interested in meeting superheroes.

“I fell in love with the feeling we got (during the visits), it’s simple work and it doesn’t take a lot of time,” Larocca added. “It gives kids a break from what they’re going through: young kids really think the superhero just came.”

The team now consists of about 60 volunteers — including the Pennsylvania chapter — who make between two and four visits a month.

Typical locations include St. Jude and New York Presbyterian, Larocca said. During the pandemic, the Champions have been hosting drive-in “rallies” on Staten Island to boost morale during the shutdown.

The collection also touts its “costume designer” Kenny Restrepo, a military vet and former NYPD officer who helps design some of the more elaborate costumes. Other characters in the fleet include Captain America, Batman, and a host of Disney princesses.

“These costumes are amazing; we had very detailed scripts on how to wear them, and what to do with them,” Costello said, while transforming into Thor. “The costumes will create a lot of excitement for the kids; the kids love them, so that’s what it’s really all about.”

“I wish I could wear these costumes,” Lees said, noting that his duties as a driver range from distributing toys to running last-minute errands. “I envy (the costumed heroes) and the joy of these kids that you saw, it’s unbelievable.

“There’s nothing like it.”